By Raja Razek and Emma Tucker | CNN
A manhunt is underway for a suspect after five people were injured in a shooting Saturday near an interstate in a rural area of Laurel County, Kentucky, located south of Lexington, according to the sheriff’s office.
All five victims are in stable condition, and authorities are searching for one shooter, Laurel County Sheriff’s Office Public Affairs Deputy Gilbert Acciardo told CNN.
The active shooter situation occurred near Interstate 75, about nine miles north of the city of London, where “numerous persons have been shot,” said the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office.
The London Police Department has identified 32-year-old Joseph A. Couch as a person of interest who is considered “armed and dangerous.” He is described as a White man, roughly 5 foot, 10 inches, weighing about 154 pounds, police said.
The agency is urging people to contact their 911 call center with “any information regarding the whereabouts or location on this individual.”
Kentucky State Police Trooper Scottie Pennington said via social media the suspect “has not been caught at this time. We are urging people to stay inside.” Law enforcement will provide “as much information as it becomes available,” he added.
The interstate was reopened on Saturday evening after it was closed for roughly three hours from exit 41 to exit 59, both northbound and southbound lanes, due to the active shooting, according to the Mount Vernon Fire Department.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Louisville said in a statement its officers were responding and assisting the Kentucky State Police and local authorities with a “critical incident” near Interstate 75.
London Mayor Randall Weddle said authorities were searching for the suspect or suspects in “rugged terrain and a lot of tree lines,” which may hamper their efforts, according to his video posted to Facebook around 8 p.m. local time.
Weddle urged everyone within city limits to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings. “If you’re home, keep your doors locked. I’m not asking everybody to panic. There is no immediate danger here in the city but again, while these guys or this person is on the loose, we are asking everybody to be safe,” he said.
The spasm of gun violence erupted just days after a mass shooting left four people dead and nine others hospitalized at a high school in Winder, Georgia — and less than a week after a half-dozen people driving on an interstate in the Seattle area were injured by a spree shooter.
In a post on X, Gov. Andy Beshear wrote: “Kentucky, we are aware of a shooting on I-75 in Laurel County. Law enforcement has shut the interstate down in both directions at exit 49. Please avoid the area. We will provide more details once they are available.”
The governor said he’s hearing “initial reports” from the state police and the state’s Office of Homeland Security.
“Together we are actively monitoring the situation and offering support in any way possible. Please pray for everyone involved,” he said in another statement on X.
London, Kentucky, is located around 80 miles south of Lexington.
Matt Downing told CNN he’s been stuck on the interstate for more than an hour after police stopped traffic due to the active shooter situation. Downing was traveling on I-75 north when a police car began swerving in all lanes to stop traffic, he said.
In a video shared with CNN, a police car can be seen traveling at a fast speed by traffic.
Downing estimates at least 30 police cars have driven by him while he’s been stopped on the highway. As of 7:30 p.m., Downing says authorities have begun slowly turning traffic around in the opposite direction.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN’s Sara Smart contributed to this report.
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